Smiley Culture - The first black british MC to chart in the UK. Shot in his own home during an incident with the police.
Winston Silcott - Part of the Tottenham Three. A man wrongly accused for killing PC Keith Blakelock in the 1987 Broadwater Farm Riots.
And now Latasha...
Latasha was a 15 year old girl who went to buy a carton of orange juice in a supermarket in downtown LA in 1991. She walks in to the shop, picks up a drink and carries it over to the counter. The cashier grabs the juice but won't sell it Latasha and theres a small altercation. Latasha leaves the juice and turns to walk out of the shop. The cashier pulls a gun out from under the till and shoots Latasha in the back of the head.
Latasha was an un armed walking away.
The cashier got 400 hours community service and a fine for shooting and killing Latasha.
A year later the 1992 LA race riots started.
I first came across Latasha's name whilst watching a documentary about OJ Simpson. The story of Latasha stayed with me. Its hard to believe that crimes like this took place. A young innocent girl dies and her killer gets nothing more than a fine and community service. Latasha died in America where shootings seem to happen all the time. The gun laws clearly need updating, it is a fact that more Americans kill each other with guns than terrorists of members of the islamic state.
As a Londoner its very easy for us to sit here and feel safer cause we don't have guns or bullets flying around. However, we are no better. In 1993 Stephen Lawrence got stabbed in a racist attack in South London. The gang that killed Stephen still haven't all been charged and the Lawrence family are still fighting for justice for Stephen and laws to be changed.
I don't want Latasha Harlins to be forgotten. That's why my EP is called 'Who Stands With Latasha Harlins?'
RIP Latasha Harlins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW--IGAfeas